Say Goodnight, Gracie! – We Asked Our Readers

We asked readers: If you put your grands to bed at night or for a nap, did you or do you have a signature “Sign off?” Is there something you say right before you kiss them and wish them sweet dreams? Do they say anything in response? And, is this something you used to do with your own kids?

We got some wonderful stories. Here are just two.

‪Irene Rosen Levin Garber‪: I made up my own song when my girls were young and my granddaughters love to hear it now, too. It says, “Go to sleep my little one, go to sleep and dream. Dream of pretty things and lovely things. Dream of all your love. For your mommy and your daddy love you so much you know, and your sisters and your doggies love you too. (Then I added Grammy and Pop-Pop, aunts, uncles, cousins, etc.)” I end the song with, “Now go to sleep my little one and dream of all your love.”

Aww… so sweet and loving!

And, then this one made us laugh out loud:

‪Ellen Remer Goldberg‪: I sing the “Shema”(Note: This is the name of a Hebrew prayer.) with them. My parents sang it with me, and I sang it with my own children. Of course the four year old says: “Can we sing the Wheels on the Bus now, Mom Mom?”

GRAND’s own Christine Crosby: I confess to saying to my kids… “Sleep tight and don’t let the bed bugs bite.” Of course, I didn’t know bed bugs were a real thing.

As for me, I can’t remember exactly how I put my daughters to bed. I think I was too tired each day for it to stick in my brain. I know this, though. I put Avery and Damon to sleep (After the routine of snuggle, sing, talk about dreams…) with “Love you sooo much” and I am teaching them to say, “Love you too.” Why? Because we should go to sleep each night with our last thought being about how we love and are loved. (Beats bedbugs, that’s for sure!)

Consider the last thing you say at night to your grandkids. Is it the message you want them to fall asleep repeating?